Reinforcing band for conveyor belts, and conveyor belt using the same

ABSTRACT

A belt conveyor having a first belt core, a reinforcing band on a lower surface of the first belt core, a second belt core on a lower surface of the reinforcing band so that the reinforcing band is arranged between the first belt core and the second belt core, and a rubber casing that surrounds the belt cores with the reinforcing band therebetween. The reinforcing band includes a plurality of wefts made of a rigid cord. The wefts are spaced from one another and extend transversely to a length of the belt so as to be substantially straight. The reinforcing band further has a plurality of warps each respectively woven with the plurality of wefts so as to form a mechanical woven structure. Each of the warps is tied together with each of the wefts by at least one respective knot in the warps at each of the wefts.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No.10/312,976, filed Feb. 19, 2003, which is a 35 U.S.C. §371 nationalphase conversion of International Application No. PCT/JP01/05019, filedJun. 13, 2001, which claims priority to: Country: Japan, Application No.2000-193791, Filed: Jun. 28, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

The present invention relates to a reinforcing band for conveyor beltsand a conveyor belt using the same.

In a tubular belt conveyor in which an endless flat belt is partiallywound to form a tube in which loads are put and conveyed, long usedecreases the quality of the belt to break the tubular form and causetwisting so as to open a closed portion, so that loads are likely toescape therefrom.

To prevent such accident, a known conveyor belt, especially a tubularconveyor belt, includes various cores and reinforcing bands.

Canvases are generally used as cores or reinforcing bands in such aknown belt. In a known canvas, a weft is meandered to provide lateralelasticity, so that it is likely to deviate in a direction perpendicularto a running direction of the belt when the belt is used, therebydecreasing lateral rigidity of the belt to involve decrease in shapemaintenance function.

It is suggested that rigid cords such as wires are embeddedlongitudinally of a belt. If they are embedded longitudinally of thebelt, running resistance of the belt is increased when a tension rollerruns. If they are embedded transversely of the belt, a number ofcorrection rollers are likely to deviate longitudinally of the belt whenthey pass.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages in the prior art, it is an objectto provide a durable reinforcing band of a conveyor belt and a conveyorbelt having it, especially a tubular conveyor belt, in which rigid cordsare provided transversely of the belt to increase lateral rigidity andshape maintenance capability of the belt and to prevent the rigid cordsfrom deviating longitudinally of the belt.

According to the present invention, the foregoing disadvantages aresolved below.

In a reinforcing band of a conveyor belt, a plurality of rigid cordsspaced from each other transversely are woven together with a pluralityof warps not to deviate them longitudinally.

In manufacturing of the conveyor belt, the reinforcing band is providedlongitudinally of the belt, so that a plurality of rigid cords areprovided transversely of the belt to increase lateral rigidity and shapemaintenance capability of the belt. In addition, the warps are wovenwith the rigid cords to prevent the rigid cords from deviatinglongitudinally of the belt when the belt passes on the guide roller.

In manufacturing of the tubular conveyor belt, the reinforcing band isprovided longitudinally of the belt, so that a plurality of rigid cordsare directed transversely of the belt. When the belt is rolled up into atubular shape, the rigid cords are formed as ribs to keep the tubularshape for a long time and the rigid cores are made to have the samepitch by the warps, thereby preventing the rigid cords from deviatinglongitudinally of the belt when the belt passes through the correctionrollers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent from the following description with respect to embodiments asshown in accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of one embodiment of aconveyor belt according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away perspective view of one embodiment of atubular conveyor belt according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the fabric structure of areinforcing band of a conveyor belt according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing another embodiment of thefabric structure of a reinforcing band;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of how to weave thereinforcing band;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view showing that thin rubber layers areformed on the upper and lower surfaces of the reinforcing band; and

FIG. 7 is a view as in FIG. 1, of another embodiment of a conveyor beltaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with respect toaccompanying drawings as below.

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of an embodiment of aconveyor belt according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is apartially cut-away perspective view of another embodiment of a conveyorbelt according to the present invention.

In belts 1,1′, on the lower surface of a core 2 in which a plurality ofcanvases are laminated, a slightly narrower reinforcing band 3 isoverlapped. In a tubular belt conveyor in FIG. 2, the reinforcing band 3is supported by a pair of thickness-adjusting breakers 4, and theseelements are surrounded by rubber 5.

In the reinforcing band 3, a plurality of rigid cords 6 spaced from eachother are provided transversely with respect to a longitudinal directionof the belts 1, 1′, and a plurality of warps are woven with the rigidcords 6 so that the warps are not to move longitudinally.

The rigid cords 6 may be made of synthetic fibers, aramid fibers orsteel to provide rigidity, flexibility and elasticity enough to keep itsshape when the belt 1 is rolled up into a trough or pipe.

The warps 7 may be made of synthetic fibers or aramid fibers which havesmaller diameter than that of the rigid cord 6.

As shown in FIG. 3, the warp 7 is wound on the rigid cord 6 which servesas a weft at an intersection to tie a single knot 8, or as shown in FIG.4, the rigid cord 6 is held between two knots 9, 10 of the warp 7.

FIG. 5 illustrates how to weave the reinforcing band 3 in detail. Inthis example, a plurality of warps 7 are twisted on rigid cords 6 aswefts by guide bars 11 and hooks 13 with covers 12 so that the rigidcords 6 may be straight lines.

By such a fabric structure, each of the rigid cords 6 is prevented fromdeviating in a longitudinal direction of the reinforcing band 3.

FIG. 6 shows that the reinforcing band 3 formed as above is tightened ina longitudinal direction. Thin band-like rubber layers 14, 15 arepressed by two pairs of upper and lower pressing rollers 16, 16 andbonded by adhesive (not shown). Each surface of the reinforcing band 3is covered with the rubber layers 14, 15. Thus, when the core 2 is puton the reinforcing band 3 and held by the rubber layer 15 to form thebelts 1, 1′, the relationship between the rigid cord 6 and the warp 7 isnot broken to facilitate manufacturing and improve quality.

The formation of the rubber layers 14, 15 on each surface of thereinforcing band 3 is not limited to bonding as above, but another waysuch as vulcanization is also applicable.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the reinforcing band 3 is arrangedbetween a first belt core 2 and a second belt core 2′. This provides asymmetrical belt structure in the thickness direction which allows thebelt to have uniform strength whether it is rolled-up upwardly ordownwardly. A conveyor belt constructed in this manner allows materialsto be transported reciprocally in a rolled-up tubular belt.

In this embodiment, even if the belt suffers from deterioration ordamage on one side, the other side can be used to transport materials inorder to prevent the deterioration or damage from becoming worse.Although the present invention has been described in relation toparticular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modificationsand other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It ispreferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by thespecific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

1. A conveyor belt, comprising: a first belt core that comprises acanvas and has an upper and a lower surface; a reinforcing band on thelower surface of the first belt core, said reinforcing band comprising aplurality of wefts, each of the wefts being made of a rigid cord, saidwefts being spaced from one another and extending transversely to alength of the belt so as to be substantially straight, said band furthercomprising a plurality of warps each respectively woven with saidplurality of wefts so as to form a mechanical woven structure, each ofsaid warps being tied together with each of said wefts by at least onerespective knot in the warps at each of the wefts; a second belt core ona lower surface of the reinforcing band whereby the reinforcing band isarranged between the first belt core and the second belt core; and arubber casing that surrounds the belt cores with the reinforcing bandtherebetween.
 2. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beltis rolled up so as to be usable as a tubular belt conveyor.